5 Books to Ask for this Christmas

I always panic when anyone asks me what I want for Christmas. I instantly forget anything and everything I have added to my mental wish list ever. So when in doubt– ask for books. Always the right size, right fit, right color. Even the craziest of aunts really can’t mess this one up. These are five of my favorite books that I read this past year that I would recommend to anyone. These books are also all coincidentally written by women so I’m a big fan of that too. Give strong female writers some love, read these things:

This book is a collection of essays and stories written by Marina Keegan, a Yale English student that was tragically killed in a car accident shortly after she graduated. This is one of my favorite books I have ever read; the writing is authentic, raw, beautiful and haunting. The essays span from fictional deep see voyage horror to nonfictional pieces on the consulting industry; works of art, all of them.

I don’t typically love most young adult fiction but this is one of the best written books I have read in forever. Beautiful writing that tells a beautiful story. A story of a midwestern girl who moves to New York City is relatable and funny and sad and lovely. Please read.

Shonda Rhimes is one of my favorite people in the world. Her internationally renowned TV shows like Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away With Murder are incredible and her book is almost somehow even better than her shows. The book features amazing and unique takes on life, motherhood, creativity, feminism, pretty much everything good on the planet.

This book should be mandatory reading for all women. Actually in a dream world, all humans. Roxane Gay is a phenomenal writer and her perspectives on the universe are complex, fascinating and the truth. A modern take on realistic feminism, intersectionality and how we might all accidentally be bad feminists sometimes. Love, love, love.

You’ve definitely heard of this one. Rupi Kaur has taking the Instagram world by storm. It takes some damn good writing to make poetry mainstream again, and Rupi has done just that. I actually had the chance to see her perform last month and she is probably the most eloquent, graceful and breathtaking individual I have ever seen. Pretty convinced she’s a real life angel. Political, powerful, perfect.